99.99% of Americans want peace [Archives:2003/630/Letters to the Editor]

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April 7 2003

Jeff Redlinger
USA
[email protected]

I am desperately searching for a non-American opinion on the war in Iraq, and I happened upon your website. Not just happened really, I had been logging on to an English version of Al-Jazeera, but it has since been blocked by the government. Not as free as we think..
Your editorial raised a lot of questions that “intelligent” Americans, that is to say Americans that can hold two independent thoughts in their heads at once, ponder every minute of the day. This war is making us crazy. We get only American spun journalism, and it is very difficult to believe that we are doing the wrong thing in Iraq. Although I agree with the viewpoint of your questions, I was wondering if you could give me an intelligent, straight forward answer to the questions Americans are asking all of time.
This is just you and me, two intelligent, concerned citizens of the world.
Does the Arab community know that 9/11 shook this country to its core? Shook so violently that half of all Americans will agree to any action if they think in doing so, future 9/11's will be averted?
Why aren't stories of Saddam's rape and murder of his own people discussed more, especially on Al-Jazeera? Do these stories exist?
Is Saddam the tyrant we've been told he is?
If so, why does the world resent us wanting to take down his regime?
Do you believe Saddam has chemical/biological weapons?
Do you think if we had a chance to force a regime change in Germany in 1939, we should have done so?
I am being mislead by American journalists and government officials who tell me Saddam had killed 1.5 million Muslims?
Does the Arab community believe we are targeting civilians?
American journalism does interview Arabs, but they could be just lying for the camera, for the government. I was searching for an intelligent, Arabic opinion. I hope you or your readers would respond.
Please know that 99.99% of Americans want nothing more than to sing, dance, pray, raise their families, and to help the world (peacefully) when we can.
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